AN: A big thank you to those who have favourited this story, it's much appreciated.
That Friday Connie dropped Laura off at her house and went inside to see Caroline.
"Hello girls," the older woman said as she sat drinking a cup of tea. "It's certainly starting to cool down now isn't it."
"It sure is Mrs Stratford," Connie agreed rubbing her hands together. "I wouldn't be surprised if it snows tonight."
"Are you doing anything special for Thanksgiving?" Caroline asked.
"Same as usual," Connie shrugged.
"You'll be home by then right?" Laura asked.
Caroline paused, "I have to work over that holiday," she said, "but I've arranged it so we can go away over Christmas and New Years," she quickly finished.
"Oh that's great," Laura said a little glumly. Thanksgiving was not usually a very big deal for the small family as they only had each other but they usually visited their elderly neighbour Mrs Anderson and the three shared the meal.
"I've already spoken with Mrs Anderson and she told me she was planning on visiting her daughter's family this year but you are welcome to join them."
"That should be fun," she smiled weakly.
Connie stayed at her house over the rest of the afternoon but as it got later she left for dinner. Caroline noticed that Laura was still being very quiet and put her arm around her.
"Don't sulk," she said squeezing her, "just think of Christmas, we'll have the whole holiday off."
Laura smiled genuinely, "I'm not upset," she assured her.
They sat down to dinner and afterward listened to the radio for a while before Laura started getting sleepy.
"Why don't you get dressed for bed," Caroline said as her eyelids drooped lower and lower.
"Okay," she agreed and went to her room to change.
When she woke up the next morning she got dressed and was about to walk over to Mrs Anderson's to accept her offer when she spotted Ace's car driving toward her house. She waved and ran towards his car which Ace was now parking.
"What's this," he said, stepping out of the car and running his fingers through her ponytail. She usually wore her hair down.
"Oh I'm going to go see my neighbour, she doesn't like it when I don't tie up my hair. She says it makes me look untidy."
"She doesn't know what she's talking about," Ace said but nevertheless he left her hair in tact. "Why are you going to see her anyway?"
"She's invited me to Thanksgiving with her family, I'm just going to accept."
"Why? What about your Ma?" he frowned.
"She has to work, but she's taking the Christmas holiday off," she said, "so it won't be so bad."
"You should eat with me," he said, "I'm going over my Aunt's house but she won't care if you come," he shrugged.
"Really?" she said, she didn't want to mess with his Aunt's plans but, she reasoned, she'd only be dropping in on somebody else's anyway.
"Sure, my Ma's probably going to see her this afternoon, I'll get her to ask for you. Besides," he said pulling her against him, "if you come I might not be so fucking bored this year."
"Okay," she said perking up. "I'll go tell my mom."
The two went indoors and asked Caroline, who had no problem with it and then left in Ace's car to go ask his mother. Laura had never met any member of his family before. She was a little nervous.
Ace stopped in front of his house and pulled Laura's hair out of a pony tail.
"I don't want you to meet my Ma looking like a horse," he teased her.
"John!" a voice called out from inside, "is that you?"
"Yeah Ma!" he called back. He grabbed Laura's hand and pulled her into the house.
"Oh hello," Grace Merrill said startled as they appeared behind her. "My dear," she said reaching out to take Laura's hand, "You must be Laura, what a pretty little thing you are."
"Thank you," Laura said quietly.
"Oh you're shy, how adorable," Grace said looking at her son and then the girl again. It was like looking at the lamb and the wolf.
"I was wondering if Laura would be able to come with us to Aunt Helen's on Thursday?" Ace said, mostly in an effort to stop his mother from scaring his girlfriend, "her Ma has to work."
He could see she was about to ask about Laura's father but thankfully she was able to pick up on Ace's signals that she should avoid the topic.
"How terrible," Grace said sympathetically, "I'll ask my sister but I can't see it being a problem. I'm seeing her this afternoon in fact."
Ace gave Laura a quick 'I told you so' look.
"You must meet Joe," Grace said taking Laura's other hand and leading her into the living room. Ace followed them.
"Look Joe," Grace called out to a man who was reading a newspaper, "this is John's girl."
"Hello sir," Laura said, mostly to her shoes. Joe was stunned at how such a timid and seemingly sweet looking girl could be seeing a maniac like his son.
Ace put his arm around her shoulders casually and looked at his father with contempt.
"It's nice to meet you," he said avoiding his son's line of vision.
"Well I'll be sure to ask for you," Grace said as Ace began walking out the door, pulling Laura behind him.
"It was nice to meet you too," Laura said before she was pulled through the front door.
"Well what do you know," Grace said after they had left, "our boy bringing a girl home, and to Thanksgiving besides."
"What's that?" Joe said, looking up from his paper again.
"Thanksgiving," she repeated, "the poor things mother has to work, isn't it criminal? I'm not quite sure what the story is with her father but it seems he's busy too."
Joe was surprised, John rarely stayed the entire Thanksgiving himself.
"Wasn't she darling?" Grace continued, "and so pretty too."
"Yes, she looks like a nice girl," he agreed before going back to his paper.
Grace rolled her eyes at his lack of interest in the conversation at left for her sister's house.
"So what did you think of my parents?" Ace asked as they drove back toward town.
"They seem nice," she said, "but I don't think your Dad likes me."
"My Pop doesn't like me," he corrected her, "who cares what he thinks anyway."
"Not me," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.